Roy Keane has expressed sympathy for the Real Madrid defender after Trent Alexander-Arnold received a frosty reception from Liverpool fans upon his return to Anfield.
Manager Roy Keane has accused Liverpool supporters of a lack of “dignity” after Trent Alexander-Arnold was booed upon his return to Anfield. Arne Slott’s side defeated Real Madrid 1-0 at Anfield in the Champions League.
Alexis Mac Allister’s header was enough to secure a vital three points for the Merseysiders. However, one of the most memorable moments of the contest came when Alexander-Arnold emerged from the bench and received intense jeers from the crowd.
Liverpool supporters were left hurt when the England international left the club as a free agent in the summer. The Whites’ desire to play him in the Club World Cup led to the Reds securing a £10 million fee for his services, but fans were still disappointed by his departure.
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Keane, who saw his return to the club where he grew up booed, took aim at the overly hostile supporters. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Keane said: “The reputation of Liverpool fans is that they are loyal and a step above most supporters.
“But no matter which players come back, no matter if they boo, people will still pay to move and I think that’s fine. I’m not going to argue with the supporters.”
He added: “I’m sure Liverpool fans, like all supporters, think, ‘We’re the biggest club in the world’. I’m not saying we should praise him for leaving, but why go to a game and boo a player who has played 260 or 270 games? It’s been great. There’s no need to wish him luck at Madrid.”
“But for some reason Liverpool fans think they have decency to think as a local lad, ‘Let’s boo this kid’. No, Liverpool fans have to take a hard look at themselves.”
“The great thing about Trent over the last year or two is he’s said very little, he’s never said, ‘Oh, I want to stay here.’
“In fact, he has kept his mouth shut, and sometimes that’s not a bad thing. How many times have you seen players leave saying, ‘Oh, I love this club’? He kept his cool.”
After the match, Slott praised Alexander-Arnold’s work last season, with the right-back helping the club win the Premier League in Slott’s first season, contributing four goals and 10 assists. “It’s tough because he (Alexander-Arnold) lost,” the Dutchman said.
“I told him something like ‘keep going’ and to be honest I didn’t know exactly what I said to him. He’s special to this club, he’s special to me and he’s a special person.”
“So for me, hugging him is something I’m going to do every time I see him.”
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